Pilot tube



R. H. BERG Aug. 16, 1960 PILOT TUBE Filed Dec. 22, 1958 Inventor Robert H. Berg gHiorneg 2,949,203 PI'LoT TUBE Robert Henry Berg, Antioch, Ill., assignor to Abbott Laboratories, 'North Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 782,164

Claims. c1. 215-'6) This invention relates generally to an improved pilot tube and more particularly to an improved pilot tube of plastic material which is securely attached to a container.

In the transfusion of human blood, many problems are encountered from the time the blood is collected from the donor to the time it is transferred to the recipient. When blood is collected from a donor it is typed, placed in a suitable container and stored in a blood bank until it is needed. Prior to administration, it is common practice to cross match the blood in the container with that of the recipient. In order to cross match blood, a sample of blood would have to be taken from the container, if no other means were provided. As it is a dangerous practice to withdraw a sample from the container because of the possibility of contaminating the blood therein, it is the practice to provide one or more sample or pilot tubes into which a blood sample is placed at the time of collection.

It is an object of the present invention to provide one or more improved sampling pilot tubes for storing a blood sample.

It is a further object of this invention to provide sample tubes which cannot become accidentally separated from the collection container and thereby reduces errors of cross matching.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide pilot sampling tubes for a container which are securely attached thereto and yet readily severable from the container having blood stored therein.

It is a further object-of the present invention to provide pilot sampling tubes for a container which are easily centrifuged.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide pilot tubes for a container which are non-breakable and easily stored with the main container.

The means of achieving the foregoing and other objects of the present invention will be'readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing shown in a preferred embodiment of the invention wherem:

Figure 1 is a perspective view partially in vertically sectional view of the pilot tubes of the present invention operatively mounted on a container.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the pilot tubes detached from a container with the caps thereof open and fully extended.

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the pilot tubes partially in vertically sectional view with the caps thereof in an open position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the foregoing figures, the container is a glass bottle having a sterile protective assembly 11 comprised of an outer cap and an inner closure retaining ring, each having a diameter larger than the neck of the container disposed on the top thereof. Disposed longitudinally in the inside of container 10 is tubular air vent 13 which has its upper nited States Patent Patented Aug. 16, 1960 "ice end secured in assembly 11 and its lower end spaced a short distance from the bottom of said container. Positioned circumferentially about the exterior of the container 10 near the bottom thereof is a band 14 to which bail 16 is pivotally attached thereto, said band 14 being accommodated in a recessed ring of the container 10. Attached around the neck of container 10 by means of ring collar 17 are pilot tubes 22 and 23- which are integrally connected to said ring collar by means of frangible connecting segments 18 and 19 which terminate in seating rings 20 and 21, respectively, said seating rings being disposed circumferentially about the pilot tubes.

Pilot tubes 22 and 23 are provided with caps 24 and 25 respectively which are hinged to said seating rings 20 and 21 by means of flexible bands 26 and 27, respectively. The tubes 22, 23 are provided with gripping flanges 32 and 33, respectively, disposed on the top edges thereof, said flanges engaging gripping ribs 30 and 31 which are disposed circumferentially within the interior of the respective caps, as best shown in Figure 2.

As illustrated in Figure 3, pilot tubes 22 and 23 are comprised of a relatively thin wall 34, said wall being integrally fused with seating rings 20 and 21.

When collection bottle 10 is completely assembled and sterile protection assembly 11 is placed thereon, ring collar 17 is pressed down over said assembly until it rests on the neck of said bottle. The bottle with its pilot tubes attached, by means of ring collar 17 circumferentially engaging the neck of said bottle, is then ready for shipment. It will be noted that connecting segments 18 and 19 are disposed circumferentially degrees from each other in order that their respective pilot tubes will fit into the corners of a shipping compartment.

At the time of collection of blood, the pilot tubes 22 and 23 are filled with the donors blood by merely opening caps 24 and 25 of the respective tubes by means of pull tabs 28 and 29, respectively. When the pilot tubes are filled, caps 24 and 25 are pressed down firmly over annular flanges 32 and 33, respectively, which are disposed about the upper edges of said pilot tubes and extend outwardly therefrom. Said caps are thereby securely held by means of gripping ribs 30 and 31 disposed circumferentially in the interior of caps 24 and 25 respectively. After the filling operation, a protection cap can be forced down over the top of said bottle to replace the previously removed outer cap of the sterile protective assembly 11. Also after filling the bottle, ring collar 17 and pilot tubes 22 and 23 can be given a corresponding number. The filled bottle with its numbered pilot tubes is stored until needed.

When it is desired to use the blood in the-container, a sample may be removed from the sample tube or the tube can be severed from ring collar 17 by cutting through frangible connection segment 19 with a sharp instrument. The blood in the pilot tubes having been exposed to air usually is clotted and therefore the sample must be centrifuged in order to recover the serum. The severed pilot tube is thereupon conveniently placed in a centrifuge, it being supported therein by seating ring 21 which rests upon the upper edge of the centrifuge cylinder. The serum is thereafter recovered and cross matched with the recipients blood. If incompatibility exists, the bottle is returned and the remaining pilot tube is used for the next cross match. If the blood is compatible, it is administered and the other pilot is merely discarded.

The pilot tubes thereby in either instance avoid any possibility of contamination of the main bottle of blood and also serve as a ready means for centrifugation. Said tubes are securely held to said bottle so as to prevent any possible accidental detachment of the sample tubes with the result that a whole bottle of blood would have to be discarded.

All the component .parts previously described in the foregoing paragraph are composed of a flexible, clear, semirigid, plastic material. All of said component parts are made from a single mold to form a one-piece integrally connected apparatus as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

While two pilot tubes have been described for use in this invention, it should be understood that any practicable number of tubes could be attached to said collar ring or in another embodiment, only one tube could be attached to said ring.

It should also be understood that the term flexible, clear, semirigid, plastic material is meant to include such material as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, and similar moldable synthetic plastic materials.

Others may readily adapt the invention for use under various conditions of service, by employing one or more of the novel features disclosed or equivalence thereof. As at present advised with respect to the apparent scope of my invention, I desire to claim the following subject matter.

I claim:

1. A pilot tube device for fluids comprising in combination; an integrally molded semirigid, plastic ring collar adapted to circumferentially rest on the neck of a container and a pair of pilot tubes integrally molded therewith and connected to the said ring collar by a frangible connecting segment, said pilot tubes having an annular flange about the upper edge of said tubes and extending outwardly therefrom, and each said pilot tube having an integral cap member composed of a semirigid plastic material hinged to said tube by means of a band of semirigid plastic material, and a retaining rib circumferentially extending within the interior of each cap which coacts wth the said annular flange to retain the cap in closed position on the said pilot tube.

2. The pilot tube device of claim 1 wherein all the parts are formed of a polyethylene composition.

3. A pilot tube device for fluids comprising in combination; an integrally molded ring collar adapted to circumferentially rest on said neck of a container, and two pilot tubes integrally molded therewith and connected to said ring collar by a frangible connecting segment, said pilot tubes being spaced circumferentially 90 degrees from each other and having an annular flange about the upper edge of said tubes and extending outwardly therefrom, and each said pilot tube having an integral cap composed of a semirigid plastic material hinged to said tube by means of a band of semirigid plastic material and each said cap having a retaining rib circumferentially disposed within the interior of each cap which coacts with the said annular flange to retain the cap in closed position on the pilot tube.

4. A pilot tube device for fluids comprising in combination; an integrally molded ring collar adapted to circumferentially rest on the neck of a container, and at least one pilot tube integrally molded and connected to said collar by a frangible connecting segment, said pilot tube having a seating ring integrally formed thereon spaced downwardly from the upper end thereof, said pilot tube also having an annular flange about the upper edge of said tube and extending outwardly therefrom, and the said pilot tube having an integral cap composed of a semirigid plastic material hinged to each said tube by means of a band of semirigid plastic material and a retaining rib circumferentally extending within the interior of each cap which coacts with said annular flange to retain the cap in closed position on the pilot tube.

5. A pilot tube device for fluids comprising in combination; an integrally molded semirigid plastic ring collar of suitable diameter adapted to circumferentially rest on the neck of a bottle, and a pair of pilot tubes each integrally connected with said ring collar by a frangible connecting segment which terminates in a seating ring disposed circumferentially about the pilot tube, said pilot tubes being spaced circumferentially 90 degrees from each other about said ring and having an annular flange about the upper edge of said tubes and extending outwardly therefrom and each said tube having an integral cap composed of a semirigid plastic material hinged to said tubing by means of a band of semirigid plastic material and a retaining rib circumferentially extending within the interior of each cap which coacts with the said annular flange to retain the cap in a closed position on the pilot tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 401,760 Scher Apr. 23, 1889 1,169,198 Schumacher Jan. 25, 1916 1,221,572 Morton Apr. 3, 1917 2,274,973 Bryant Mar. 3, 1942 2,340,719 Walter Feb. 1, 1944 2,680,497 Miller June 8, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 649,541 Great Britain ..'Jan. 31, 1951 276,582 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1951 

